Pinecones, Glorious Pinecones

So, here in East Texas pinecones are definitely not in limited supply.  I've been wondering what I can do with them.  There are so many, it's kind of sad to see them just laying out there being put to no good use.  :)

So the girls and I along with the help of Grammy (my mom who is visiting from Massachusetts) made some Christmas decorations with a few of the larger ones today.  The girls really love crafting and this was easy enough for them to help with without getting hurt or needing any grown up help.  All we did was dry out the pinceones in the oven at 350 for like 10 minutes.  This helps to kill any little critters that might be hiding in there and dries any sap so they aren't sticky. We got our work area ready - we covered a table with paper - then we put glue on the cones very carefully so we didn't break them, with a small paintbrush to get it on all the stems good.  Then we sprinkled glitter all over them and glued a glittered, wooden star to the top with hot glue.  I plan on displaying these on our mantle, and I will put them in some vintage teacups that I have and some bud vases.  Take a look at our pictures and let me know what you think.  These might not be Martha Stewart quality, but it was fun and easy, and we all had a good time, even the grownups.  :)  Perfect activity for a chilly, cloudy Saturday afternoon. 

Sorry the pics are all over the place, I was having a little trouble getting them where I wanted them.  oh well.